Signs of spring are creeping into the landscape. Yellow and purple flowers; an occasional robin pecking at the ground; small buds on the bushes.

Signs of an election are pock mocking the roadsides.

Yes, that’s right, folks. The politicians have marked their territories with awkward little signs bobbing in the cruel early spring winds.

The good news is that it’ll all be over in a week, and the winners and losers will have to remove their signs.

Political signs are a necessary evil. Thankfully, there are laws on the books that require the signs to be removed within so many days of the election. It’s dangerous when politicians make rules governing themselves.

The good news is that readers of The Focus, the Lake Sun and other area publications have a plethora of information about the various candidates running for office April 8. There’s no excuse not to vote. And there’s hardly an excuse to claim you don’t know anything about the candidates.

The point is, take 15 minutes out of your day next Tuesday to vote. It’s quite simple. You’ll need a photo ID, and it helps to have your voter ID card. Poll workers cross-reference your name to your ID, and then hand you a ballot with simple instructions.

There are candidates for every board of alderman race and for every board of education race. The natives must be restless. And that’s okay. Too often, candidates are unopposed and aren’t held accountable for their decisions.

We have choices this time. The Focus dedicated several pages to candidates and their responses to questions we posed last week and this week, so there’s information on each.

If you don’t vote, then don’t grumble to your spouse, or among your friends or at the coffee shop or in the bar if something happens that you don’t like.

Do yourself a favor — vote. Polls are open from 6 a.m. (before work) until 7 p.m. (after work).